Top 10 Reasons People Buy Managed Detection and Response (MDR)

There are many reasons exist why an organization may select an MDR. Here is a list we have compiled based on our customers' feedback.

By Kumar Saurabh

Building an effective in-house Security Operations Center (SOC) is a daunting task, marked by challenges in cost, staffing, and technology. It's no surprise that Managed Detection and Response (MDR) platforms have emerged as a compelling solution.

Many reasons exist why an organization may select an MDR. Here is a list we have compiled based on our customers' feedback.

1. Achieve True 24/7/365 Monitoring & Coverage

Cyber threats don't operate on a 9-to-5 schedule, and neither should your defenses. Consider this:

• There are 168 hours in a 7-day week.
• Employees work 40 hours a week. This means you need 4.2 people for basic coverage. Add a manager, account for vacations and sick leave, and if you require redundancy for true resilience and sub-15-minute response times, you need to double that number to 10 individuals. For most organizations, staffing an around-the-clock, in-house Security Operations Center (SOC) is simply untenable, making Managed Detection and Response (MDR) an attractive option for maintaining constant surveillance.

2. Access Specialized Security Expertise Instantly

Effective cybersecurity demands a diverse and deep skill set that's difficult to find and retain. In our research, we found the following key themes:

• The team lacks the skills in data collection, detection, triage, investigation, and response.
• They don't have a dedicated detection engineering team
• They only have 1 or 2 people whose part-time role includes alert triage.

An MDR platform would deliver immediate access to a team of seasoned security experts, filling the critical expertise gap without the lengthy and expensive hiring process.

3. Effective Alert Management & Noise Reduction

Security tools can be incredibly noisy, with 95%+ of alerts being false positives or low-priority informational events. Internal teams, already stretched thin, lack the time to thoroughly review and investigate every alert. A key function of the MDR platform is to sift through this vast array of alerts, validate potential threats, and escalate only those that truly pose a significant risk. This frees up your team to focus on core responsibilities and high-priority events.

4. Cost-Effective Alternative to an In-House SOC

Building and maintaining an in-house Security Operations Center (SOC) is expensive. When you factor in salaries for a fully-staffed team, technology, and training, the costs can be prohibitive. Many organizations state:

• With reduced budgets, they can't afford to hire another full-time employee for the SOC.

An MDR platform would offer a predictable, operational expense model that provides access to advanced SOC capabilities at a fraction of the cost. 

5. Leverage Advanced Security Technology & Platforms

Building and delivering operational excellence is expensive and complex. Organizations often find themselves lacking:

• A decent SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) platform to gather all security events across an organization's infrastructure
• Proper tools for data collection, detection, triage, investigation, and response

An MDR platform delivers the benefits of enterprise-grade SIEM and data collection, detection, triage, investigation, and response without the upfront investment.

6. Benefit from Automation

Manual security operations are slow, costly, and inconsistent. When everything is done manually, it dramatically increases costs, reduces response times, and makes it nearly impossible to maintain standardized processes.
An MDR platform utilizes automation for tasks such as initial alert triage and response, resulting in faster, more consistent security outcomes.

7. Simplify Security Operations & Tool Management

Tool sprawl is a significant challenge. It's not uncommon for a security team to have to log into multiple tools and manually correlate information. This "swivel-chair analysis" is inefficient and frustrating.
An MDR platform would act as a central point, often integrating with your existing tools to provide a unified platform and simplify operations.

8. For Rapid Threat Detection and Response 

When a real threat is detected, speed is crucial, and time to resolution matters. A SOC staffed solely by humans cannot operate at the same speed as a machine. By combining advanced technology, expert analysts, and streamlined processes, an MDR can quickly identify, validate, and contain threats, minimizing potential impact.

9. Obtain Actionable Insights

Organizations invest in an MDR platform to seek a partner that provides contextualized, actionable insights and clear guidance on remediation rather than just another stream of raw alerts. They want an MDR that doesn't just tell them what happened but why it matters and what to do next.

10. To Leverage Cutting-Edge Capabilities like AI for Enhanced Security

The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and human-powered Security Operations Centers (SOCs) can struggle to keep pace. Forward-thinking organizations are seeking MDR providers that incorporate advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). An AI-powered Analyst can provide answers in real-time," sifting through vast datasets, identifying subtle anomalies, and speeding up investigations far beyond human capacity alone. This desire for smarter, faster, and more adaptive defense is a growing reason businesses choose modern Managed Detection and Response (MDR) platforms.

In Conclusion

Choosing an MDR platform is a crucial decision. Organizations are seeking comprehensive protection, deep expertise, operational efficiency, and a predictable cost model, all things that a quality MDR platform can deliver. By understanding these core needs, businesses can better evaluate and select an MDR partner that truly enhances their security posture.